The Easton Area High School junior running back/defensive back missed the final two games of 2012 after suffering a leg injury in the Red Rovers' regular-season finale against Nazareth.

Finally, the calendar turned to January and Simpson began his road to recovery.

"In January when I got off my crutches, I went to Jason Brader's FASST camp to get in shape," Simpson said. "He had me jumping rope and I couldn't do that. I was down on myself, and he gave me words of encouragement and I kept going at it. I got stronger, faster and more explosive than ever.

"I thank him and my trainers at physical therapy, my family and God for the blessing so I can play again."

Not surprisingly, the versatile Simpson is excited to get back on the field. He opened his sophomore campaign with 289 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the Week 1 victory over Pennsbury.

Simpson never let up, rushing for 100 or more yards in six of the next eight games before leaving the Nov. 5 contest against the rival Blue Eagles early with an injury.

"I'm going to be really anxious," he said. "I just want to be out there with my teammates. It was really heartbreaking watching my team without me against Nazareth, Parkland and Phillipsburg."

Simpson's return to the field provides the Red Rovers (10-2 overall, 8-1 Lehigh Valley Conference) with more than just a boost in the backfield. He can be split out wide as a receiver or even throw a pass if needed.

Simpson, who has been a running back his entire career, was temporarily converted to a wideout his freshman season to get him on the field.

Now, he can be all over the place.

"It's going to be hard to hold the reins on him in the beginning of the year," said coach Steve Shiffert, entering his 21st season. "He had a good offseason in terms of strength; he put on a few pounds but retained his quickness and speed. The best part is now we can put him in different spots, and defenses have to guess where he's at.

"We didn't forget how good of a receiver he was in ninth grade. If we can get him the ball in the flat and work him 1-on-1, he's going to be a handful."

The motivation for Simpson and his teammates is the embarrassing 41-10 home loss to Parkland in the Districts 2-4-11 Class AAAA sub-regional quarterfinal. Easton, which shared the LVC crown with the Trojans and Whitehall, prides itself on playing three games in eight days in late November.

"It's a lot of motivation," senior quarterback Brad Wilkins said. "For the team we had -- we were 8-0 at one point -- to lose like that in your first playoff game is a lot of motivation. They came to Cottingham (Stadium) and whooped us. It's a lot of motivation to come out (this year) and beat them again."